For all chanters and other liturgical gurus. When does the polyeleos return as the third Kathisma from the Psalter at Matins on Sunday mornings in place of Amomos (Psalm 118)? I know it has to be coming up soon, but I can't remember when. Need to know to adjust times for when we start Matins. Thanks.

BTW, why is Psalm 118 called Amomos, when the Septuagint and English translations make it a plural adjective?

When does the polyeleos return as the third Kathisma from the Psalter at Matins on Sunday mornings in place of Amomos (Psalm 118)?

I think you are getting some things confused. The Amomos or Kathisma 17 is the 3rd Kathisma prescribed for Sunday morning. During the week there are only two Kathisma read except during lent when a 3rd one is added only to weekday schedule.

As for the Polyeleos it is chanted only for certain feast and saints. If it is prescribed on Sunday then it replaces the Amomos and on weekdays it is added at the place of a third Kathisma. During the summer the Polyeleos consist of only Ps. 135 but at some point soon, I don't have the right book to tell me handy, Ps. 134 is added to Ps 135 as the Polyeleos. During lent these are replaced by Ps 136.

If you are following a good Menion and Triodion it should tell you when to do all of these.

I am aware that the Polyeleos is always chanted for 3rd class feasts and higher in place of Amomos, but I'm almost certain that for a certain season prior to Nativity, the polyeleos be used instead. But I will defer to your explanations. Thanks.

In the Slavic Typicon the Polyeleos is prescribed on Sundays from Sept 22nd to Dec 19th, Sundays from Jan 15th to Cheesefare Sunday, and any Sunday on which a Polyeleos rank Feast falls. On Prodigal Son, Meatfare, and Cheesfare Sundays Psalm 136 is added. On all other Sundays Psalm 118 is presrcibed. However, I think it is common parochial practice to use the Polyeleos every Sunday.

In the Slavic Typicon the Polyeleos is prescribed on Sundays from Sept 22nd to Dec 19th, Sundays from Jan 15th to Cheesefare Sunday, and any Sunday on which a Polyeleos rank Feast falls. On Prodigal Son, Meatfare, and Cheesfare Sundays Psalm 136 is added. On all other Sundays Psalm 118 is presrcibed. However, I think it is common parochial practice to use the Polyeleos every Sunday.

Fr. Deacon Lance

Fr. Deacon,

Thanks for the reply. Actually, singing the polyeleos between those two dates is what we have been doing at St. Mary's for as long as I can remember. I had no idea that this practice was according to the Slavic Typicon, which is strange because we are an Antiochian parish. I know Antiochians pride themselves on being or trying to represent themselves as pan-Orthodox, but we use the Mikron Typicon as well as Arabic sources and the Menaion published by HTM. I'm trying to get the protopsaltis of the diocese to answer this question, too.